NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS) 20060024556: Identification of a Common R-Chondrite Impactor on the Ureilite Parent Body

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IDENTIFICATION OF A COMMON R-CHONDRITE
IMPACTOR ON THE UREILITE PARENT BODY.
H Downes1,2 and D W Mittlefehldt3. 1Birkbeck University of
London, Malet St. London, WC1E 7HX UK. E-mail:
[email protected]; 2Lunar and Planetary Institute, Houston
Texas 77054 USA, 3Johnson Space Centre, Nasa Rd 1, Houston,
Texas USA.
Introduction: Polymict ureilites are brecciated ultramafic
meteorites that contain a variety of single mineral and lithic
clasts [1]. They represent the surface debris from a small,
differentiated asteroid. We are continuing a detailed petrological
study of several polymict ureilites including EET 87720, EET
83309 and FRO93008 (from Antarctica), North Haig, Nilpena
(Australia), DaG 976, DaG 999, DaG 1000 and DaG 1023
(Libya). The latter four stones are probably paired. Clast sizes
can be 10 mm in diameter, so a thin-section can consist of a
single lithic clast.
Clast types and compositions: The most common clast-
types are ureilitic olivines and pyroxenes that cover the range of
mg# (74-96) and Fe/Mn values observed in monomict ureilites
[2]. Among the non-ureilitic mineral clasts are a variety of
olivine and pyroxene grains with variable mg#s and distinct
minor element contents, some of which may represent as-yet
unsampled chondritic bodies. Among the lithic clasts is a type
dominated by ferroan olivine (mg# = 59-65), with subordinate
sodic plagioclase, orthopyroxene, chromite and pyrrhotite. These
clasts have variable recrystallised metamorphic textures, ranging
from fine to medium grained and generally lack chondrules. We
have found them in EET 87720, EET 83309 and DaG
999/DaG1000. Similar ferroan olivines were previously
described in polymict ureilites DaG 319 [3], FRO 93008 [4] and
DaG 164 [5] and they likely represent a common impactor on
the ureilite parent body.
R-chondrite origin of impactor clasts: Clasts in DaG 319
were suggested to be derived from an R-chondrite, but oxygen
isotope data on one of these resembled ordinary chondrites [6].
The olivines in these clasts clearly differ from those in the
ureilites, not only in their low mg#s but also in their low Cr and
Ca and high Ni contents. Their compositions very closely
resemble those of olivines in R-chondrites such as Rumuruti [7],
Acfer 217 [8], PCA 91002 [9], Carlisle Lakes and ALH 85151
[10]. Furthermore, the presence of chromite and pyrrhotite and
the absence of metal also suggest a strong similarity to R-
chondrites. Similar R-chondrite lithic clasts have also been
reported from Weatherford [11] and Kaidun [12], suggesting that
R-chondrite projectiles may have been common impactors on
carbonaceous clan asteroids in the early Solar System.
References: [1] Goodrich C A et al. 2004. Chemie der Erde 64,
283-327. [2] Downes H and Mittlefehldt D W. Abstract #1150
37th Lunar & Planetary Science Conference. [3] Ikeda Y et al.
2000. Antarctic Meteorite Research 13, 177-221. [4] Fioretti A
M and Goodrich C A 2001. 64th Annual Meteoritical Society
Meeting abstract # 5003. [5] Cohen B, Goodrich C A and Keil K
2004. GCA 68, 4249-4266. [6] Ikeda Y et al 2003. Antarctic
Meteorite Research 16, 105-127. [7] Schulze H et al 1994.
Meteoritics 29, 275-286. [8] Bischoff A et al 1994. Meteoritics
29, 264-274 [9] Rubin A E and Kallemeyn G W 1994.
Meteoritics 29, 255-264. [10] Rubin A E and Kallemeyn G W
1989. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta 53, 3035-3044. [11]
Prinz et al. 1993. Meteoritics 28, 419. [12] Zolensky M and
Ivanov A 2003. Chemie Der Erde 63, 185-246.